Gau
by toadster
Summary: Kinda a prequel idea... I dunno if it was even possible for this to occur.... oh well


Gau tore through the fields, his scant animal skin clothing draped loosely among him. He lived to feel the cool breese through his dirty hair, the rain on his face. The beasts were slowly losing pace, getting closer to his reach, just a bit further ahead. The simple hunt was just what he needed, a chance to cut lose, and feed his hungry stomach. The deer-like creature was within his reach, so he dove, and grabbed it's throat. He took it down, and snapped it's neck, watching it die. This was the thrill of the hunt, and Gau had known nothing else.  
  
He did not know his father or his mother, and he could barely speak, mostly gutteral grunts to convey his meaning to the other animals of the Veldt. He learned their ways, and learned to hunt for himself. He had seen few humans in his time, but none of them had seen him. He was always a flash in the corner of an eye, a whisper in the night. Legends were made of him, of a wild man of the Veldt, that feasted on the flesh of the biggest beasts. Men were afraid of him, and he liked it that way.  
  
He started a fire, watching the embers closely. He knew what created fire, but the word was not his. His world was far less complicated, and yet still more so than most of the wild creatures. He knew not of politics or world affairs, but he knew that he was no animal, and that there was a whole world outside the Veldt. The world of men was too different from his life, yet he yearned to see it. He only knew what he heard from hunters, and that was little these days, as few hunters came through. He heard something about someone named Kefka, and of some emporer, but knew nothing else of it. They were just names, all he could take out of what he understood.  
  
Men had stopped coming to the Veldt, and Gau knew that he must figure out why. The beasts had a scent of fear at all times, and they looked over their shoulders. Gau knew that there was a problem in the world of men. The men were in trouble, but what could he do? All he knew was to hunt and survive the wilds. What was within his power? He knew nothing that he could do.  
  
He slept in the underbrush, waiting for dawn. When it came, Gau woke up to the sound of engines and machinery. He knew that men had come at last. He rose to full attention, and ran towards the noise. Men were on the Veldt with big machines. They looked like hollow trunks on wheels to Gau. Big metal tree trunks with oddly shaped bases. They had larger machines, boxes that hummed and whined. Gau knew that the machines could not be good, but didnt know what they were. He also saw a man wearing a lot of red, with soldiers around him. The man spoke breifly and harshly.  
  
"Fool! Watch where you put that thing! That is sensitive equipment!"  
  
Gau thought the man to be ugly and too well kept. The ugly man was an impatient, dominating , and extremely high-strung. Gau did not know the word, but the one word that sumed up his thoughts was power. The ugly man possesed power. Gau knew the concept, but not the word, but he knew that whatever the man possessed was twisted. He also knew that the machines were meant to hurt people, and possibly destroy the Veldt. He needed a plan, but his mind could not formulate one.  
  
The men stumbled about the machines, and to Gau it appeared that they were playing with them. They pushed buttons and pulled switches, turned knobs, all to Gau's amazement. These toys were huge, and he wanted to see what they did. The ugly man watched them all carefully, until an older man arrived. The older man had five other people with him, all catering to whatever he needed. This man had even more power than the ugly man. When the two of them spoke, Gau took the opportunity to observe their toys.  
  
"Kefka, what is all of this?" The older man said, observing the toys.  
  
"Emporer Gestahl," the person Gau assumed to be named Kefka spoke, "these machines will grant us the ability to enter the Esper world through an artificial portal. Then their power will be useless!."  
  
Gau had only understood few words, mostly the names of the men. Gestahl seemed pleased, and did not see the brushes where Gau was spying move. Kefka showed Gestahl how the machines worked, and watched as the Emporer left, happy with Kefka's progress. Gau watched until the sun had set, and Kefka began to leave. He followed Kefka, some yards behind, as he went into a tent. Gau situated himself near the tent, close enough to hear Kefka speaking to himself.  
  
"How dimwitted is that idiot Gestahl. He is blind, he wants the Esper's power for himself. They will belong to me, and then let Gestahl see who has more power." Kefka laughed, the noise making Gau jump, and run off into the bush. Kefka heard the noise, and ran out of the tent. "GUARDS! FIND WHATEVER MADE THAT NOISE!" He shouted repeatedly, shaking his hands in the air and jumping like a madman. Gau kept running, until he realized that he would be caught. He turned, and ran back at the guards, pitching stones, and making primal screams. He struck down the guards as fast as possible, trying only to save his own life. He tore through the camp, pitching aside anything in his way. The guards slowly closed in, pressing Gau against the machines. Gau took initiative, and jumped on top of them, knowing they would not harm their toys.  
  
Kefka stormed in, and shouted at the guards. "Get him off the portal machines, NOW! The equipment is far too sensitive to have a wild man on top of them." A guard looked at him, and replied, "but, Kefka, if we harm the machines, we will not be able to get into the Esper realm. It's just too risky."  
  
Kefka drew his sword and impaled the guard on it. He withdrew it and cleaned the blade on his clothing. "Fine, since none of you will kill this stripling, I will." He jumped up at Gau, who threw Kefka into his own machines, then ran away into the bushes. The machine toppled over under the force of Kefka falling into it, and began to spark. Kefka ran in fear, as the machine violently gave up it's energy.  
  
"No!" Kefka screamed, shaking his sword into the air. "The machines!" He looked downwards, snarling, "when I see that... thing again, I will strip him of his breath."  
  
Kefka turned and went to the nearest guard. "You, go tell the emporer that we had a... setback, and that the problem was eliminated. If he asks, it was mutiny. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes Kefka." The guard shook in fear, and left for the castle immediately.  
  
"Fine. If we can't get into the Esper world with the portal, we will just find a different way to take it all." He laughed, and as far away as he was, Gau could only hear it and shudder. 


End file.
